


Better Than a Gingerbread Latte

by galacticsugar



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Almost a coffee shop AU but not quite, Black Friday, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Michael works retail and Luke brightens his Black Friday shift, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:55:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27729856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galacticsugar/pseuds/galacticsugar
Summary: There was a time when Michael looked forward to the holidays. It used to mean good things - a break from school, freedom to play video games all day, presents to look forward to, and a relaxing time with his family. But now Michael is a poor college student, and he’s so desperate for cash that he took a seasonal job at the department store at the mall.
Relationships: Michael Clifford/Luke Hemmings
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	Better Than a Gingerbread Latte

**Author's Note:**

> Just a cute bit of Muke for Black Friday. I wrote and edited this one quickly so apologies if there are any errors.
> 
> I'm on tumblr [@staticsounds](http://staticsounds.tumblr.com); come say hi!

There was a time when Michael looked forward to the holidays. It used to mean good things - a break from school, freedom to play video games all day, presents to look forward to, and a relaxing time with his family. But now Michael is a poor college student, and he’s so desperate for cash that he took a seasonal job at the department store at the mall. 

He regrets it almost immediately. The first few days on the job aren’t too bad - the customers are generally nice, and he actually kind of enjoys scanning items into the register. But those first few days were a lie. Now it’s 7am on the morning after Thanksgiving and Michael is two hours into a nine hour shift in the home department. He’s sweating from trying to move so fast to scan and bag items, he’s already been yelled at three times, and there is no end in sight to the line of customers at his checkout counter. Not to mention he has heard half a dozen variations of  _ Santa Baby  _ on the store’s muzak, and he thinks he might rip his hair out if he has to hear even one second more of it.

He’s wrestling with a quilt that does  _ not _ want to fit into a bag when he feels a tap on his shoulder. “Yeah?” he asks over his shoulder, continuing to try to subdue the quilt. He has no idea who the person behind him is but she’s wearing a store name tag that proclaims she is “Sara!” Everyone’s name tag has an exclamation point on it for some reason. Probably some market research showing it makes the employees seem more friendly or approachable or some shit. Michael is constantly itching to write “at the disco” beneath everyone’s name. It just seems wrong otherwise.

“You’re on your 15 after you finish with this customer. I’ll take over for you,” Sara! says. 

Michael nods to Sara! and rushes to jam the receipt into the bag with the unruly quilt and thrust it towards his impatient customer. He is more than ready for a break at this point. He can’t wait to get rid of his stifling sweatshirt, he has never been thirstier in his life, and he is desperate for a few minutes of peace and quiet. He spins away from the register, tossing a quick  _ thank you _ to Sara! as she slips into his place. 

He makes a beeline away from the checkout counter and takes a quick turn into the main aisle of the store, where he immediately smacks directly into a large human in an extremely festive holiday sweater. It knocks the breath out of Michael a little, but he’s suddenly feeling much cooler, so he’s not really put out by it. The large human makes a grunt of surprise. “Oh no, I’m so sorry!” Michael says immediately, remembering that he’s still technically Michael! until he gets to the break room, so he needs to be polite to customers. 

He steps back and finally gets a look at the large human, who is red-faced and flustered but Michael barely notices that because he is also  _ beautiful _ . He’s all cheekbones and jawline, with a perfect little ski slope nose. He has amazing hair, dark blonde with slightly disheveled curls, like someone had attempted to tame them but hadn’t quite succeeded. One errant curl dips into his right eye, and Michael almost loses his breath when he takes in the unbelievably blue shade of the iris. Michael has to look up to meet the stranger’s eyes, which is rare - he is usually the tallest person in the room. Michael is so caught up in staring at this random beautiful man that he almost doesn’t realize the man is talking to him.

“Are you okay? I’m the one who should be apologizing.” The man’s voice is deep and it sounds a little thick, like he just woke up - which is actually entirely possible, Michael realizes, given the early hour. Time has lost all meaning under the fluorescent lights of the store. 

Michael shakes his head. “No, it was my mistake. I was rushing to take my break and wasn’t watching where I was going. I’m fine.” 

The stranger cocks his head at him. “Are you sure? Can I help you find some towels or something?” His hands are fidgeting anxiously, like he’s trying to find something useful to do with them. 

Towels? Why would this hot stranger want to help him find towels? Helping people find towels in this store was Michael’s job, not Hot Stranger’s. After a couple of seconds of Hot Stranger staring at him expectantly, Michael finally notices the small puddle of brown liquid on the floor near his feet. He follows the splatters from the puddle up his pant leg, and all the way to the front of his chest, where his sweatshirt is now covered in what smells like coffee. He spots some ice cubes in the puddle and realizes the reason for his sudden change in body temperature.

“Oh, no, that’s okay. I’m on break so I can just find some in the break room. I’ll get someone to wipe this up.” He reflexively grabs the bottom of his sweatshirt and shakes it, trying to shake out some of the liquid. It sends a spray of droplets in the direction of Hot Stranger, who tries to jump out of the way. “Oh god, I’m sorry,” Michael moans. “I wasn’t thinking.”

Hot Stranger laughs, a cute, high giggle that catches a little in his throat. Michael wants to melt and become one with the puddle of iced coffee on the floor. “It’s okay, I deserved that,” Hot Stranger says with a self-deprecating shrug. “Your day was probably already a nightmare before a buffoon in a hideous sweater dumped coffee on you.”

Michael tears his eyes away from Hot Stranger’s face to glance at his sweater. His face scrunches in disgust as he takes in the garish red and green design, complete with functional twinkling lights. Hot Stranger laughs again, catching the repulsion on Michael’s face. “I know, it’s terrible. Family tradition though. Ugly Christmas sweaters for Black Friday shopping or suffer the wrath of mum.”

Michael smirks. “I’ve seen worse.”

“I’m sure you have,” Hot Stranger responds. “Probably even already this morning.”

“You have no idea,” Michael chuckles and shakes his head. “Your ugly sweater has brightened my morning considerably, though.”

“Really? Even with the coffee mishap?” Hot Stranger seems genuinely shocked that Michael is being nice to him, and Michael finds it so incredibly sweet that after a morning of people treating him like dirt simply for working in retail, he’s encountered at least one person who doesn’t think he is entitled to Michael’s kindness.

Michael grins back at him. “Even with the coffee mishap. I was feeling a little overheated anyway. You actually did me a favor.”

Hot Stranger beams, his relief palpable. “Did you say you were going on break? Can I at least get you a coffee or something to make up for it?” he asks, just a hint of nerves in his voice.

“I made you spill  _ your _ drink and yet you’re the one offering to buy me a coffee? How does that work?” Michael teases, enjoying the way Hot Stranger’s cheeks turn just a little pink in response.

“No pressure or anything,” Hot Stranger says, running a hand through his fluffy hair. “I just figure your day is probably stressful enough already, a coffee is the least I can do. Plus, I need to get myself another one anyway. Don’t think I can salvage this one.” He chuckles, nodding toward the mess on Michael’s shirt.

Michael nods sympathetically. “Probably not.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket to check the time. He would really,  _ really _ like to take Hot Stranger up on his offer - it’s not every day he has beautiful men offering to buy him drinks - but his break time is quickly dwindling. Damn. Ten minutes is probably not enough time to push through the mall crowd to get to Starbucks, let alone get through the endless line of people ordering peppermint mochas. “I  _ am _ on break, but I don’t have enough time left to get a coffee,” he says reluctantly, chewing his lip. 

A look of disappointment flashes across Hot Stranger’s face, and he picks nervously at the sleeve of his sweater. “Oh, too bad. I guess I should leave you alone and let you enjoy what’s left of your break then. I really am sorry for the mess.” He shifts away from Michael, and Michael can feel the opportunity slipping away. Hot Stranger is going to leave and Michael is never going to see him again and it’s all capitalism’s fault.

“W-Wait,” Michael stutters out, grabbing Hot Stranger’s attention before he disappears into the sea of shoppers. He looks at Michael hopefully, a cute little grin threatening the corners of his lips. “I’ll get a longer break in a couple hours for lunch, if you’re still going to be around.”

Hot Stranger lets his grin escape and nods enthusiastically. “Yeah...I’ll be in the mall somewhere, anyway. Here, let me give you my number and you can text me when you’re on break again.” He makes grabby hands at Michael’s phone and Michael hands it to him wordlessly, watching in amazement as Hot Stranger taps his number into Michael’s phone like it’s a completely normal thing for Michael to be getting numbers from beautiful men in the middle of a display of Bed-in-a-Bags. 

He hands Michael’s phone back to him and Michael glances at the new contact -  _ Luke! _ . “Nice to meet you,  _ Luke! _ ” Michael says with a chuckle, exaggerating the exclamatory tone as much as possible.

“You too, _ Michael! _ ” Luke responds, mirroring his tone, head bopping enthusiastically. It makes his curls bounce and Michael has never seen something more endearing in his life.

“I’ll text you when I’m free,” Michael promises. “Thinking about a gingerbread latte will be the only thing getting me through the morning.”

“Good,” Luke says with a nod, pleased. “I’ll see you later then?”

“Definitely.”

Luke rocks back on his heels and offers Michael a little smile and a wave as he merges back into the flow of shoppers. Michael waves back and waits until he can no longer see Luke’s loud sweater before he turns in the opposite direction toward the break room. He stops at customer service on the way to alert them to the coffee spill, and they give him dirty looks for not offering to clean it himself. But Michael can’t be bothered to care. He’s got eight minutes left of his break and he plans to spend all of them daydreaming about Luke.

\---

The next couple hours of Michael’s shift aren’t any better than the first couple, but Michael’s mood has improved drastically. A customer yells at him over a coupon exclusion and he just waits patiently for the woman to finish berating him. He gives every customer an enthusiastic “happy holidays!” and a genuine smile when he hands them their bags, and before he knows it, it’s lunchtime. Well, it’s 9:30am, which counts as lunchtime when you’ve been at work since 5. Michael texts Luke the second he’s off the clock.

Michael: Hey, Michael! here. Still up for that coffee? 

He includes an array of festive emoji because why not. He’s feeling pretty damn festive.

Luke!: Yes! Meet at the escalator by Starbucks?

Luke also includes a handful of emoji, but they seem completely random. Michael picks out disco dancing man, a zebra, and a tornado. He finds this unbearably cute and has to stop himself from saying “aww” out loud before responding with a thumbs up. He books it out the main entrance of the store towards Starbucks, expertly dodging the massive crowd of slow-moving shoppers.

Michael spots Luke long before he actually reaches their meeting point. He sticks out like a sore thumb, a head taller than everyone around him and that stupid sweater twinkling brightly. He’s poking around on his phone, but pops his head up every few seconds to survey the area around him, keeping an eye out for Michael. Michael’s stomach flips at the thought that someone like Luke might actually be anxiously waiting for his arrival. It’s not that Michael isn’t perfectly capable of flirting and pulling a hot guy every now and then. He absolutely is - but it has been a long time since he has met someone he actually  _ likes;  _ someone who might be more than just a fun fling.

Luke finally spots Michael approaching and gives him an enthusiastic wave and a wide smile. “Hey! Glad you could make it.”

Michael smiles back stupidly. “I’d be an idiot to pass up free coffee with a hot stranger.”

Luke’s eyebrow quirks, but he looks pleased. “You really would. How long do you have? This line is insane.” He gestures at the line, a long and winding beast of a thing that doesn’t end until 50 feet outside the actual Starbucks storefront. 

“An hour. Should be fine, but let’s not waste any time.” With a burst of confidence, Michael finds himself slipping his finger through Luke’s belt loop and tugging gently, pulling Luke along behind him toward the end of the Starbucks line. Luke lets out a surprised gasp, but it quickly shifts into a giggle. Michael smiles to himself and tries very hard not to look back over his shoulder. It would ruin the moment, he thinks. 

Once they make it to the back of the line, Michael releases Luke and shoves his hands in his pockets. He’s afraid if he doesn’t restrain them they might snap back out and grab at Luke on their own volition. Out in the center of the mall the lights are dimmer, less harsh. The lights on Luke’s sweater cast a twinkling glow across his face, like Michael is looking at him through a kaleidoscope. 

“So what’s your poison?” Luke asks, eyes trained on the menu board that seems a mile away in front of them.

Michael squints at the menu but can’t read a word of it. He shrugs. It doesn’t matter; he knows what he wants. “Gingerbread latte. It’s one of my very few holiday guilty pleasures.” He says it with a touch of embarrassment. He knows loving a frou frou coffee drink is nothing to be ashamed of, but his best friend Calum teases him about it mercilessly every year during the holiday season, so he’s sensitive about it.

Luke cringes slightly, shoulders raising and a grimace on his face. Is the gingerbread latte somehow a dealbreaker? Should Michael have saved the gingerbread latte reveal for the second date? Is this a first date? Michael’s brain swirls around half a dozen thoughts but doesn’t know where to land. “You haven’t heard about the gingerbread latte?” Luke asks, biting his lip nervously. He looks like he’s about to tell Michael everyone who’s ever consumed a gingerbread latte is going straight to hell come January 1st. 

Michael shakes his head, baffled. “What about the gingerbread latte?”

“They don’t have them anymore,” Luke says, voice pitching higher at the end of his sentence like he thinks making it sound like a question will somehow soften the blow.

Michael’s jaw drops. “What?!” He’s been betrayed by capitalism for the second time today. “How is that possible? How do you have seasonal coffees and NOT have the gingerbread latte? Literally no one would rather have a...” - he glances ahead at the large banner advertising the holiday menu - “chestnut praline latte? - ew! - than a gingerbread latte!” Michael is being overdramatic and he knows it, it’s just...he’s been looking forward to this gingerbread latte all morning!

Luke shrugs and clasps Michael’s shoulder comfortingly. “I know. I’m really sorry for your loss,” he says solemnly. Luke fights back a smile but Michael sees Luke’s dimples starting to pop and he can’t stop himself from breaking into a giggle. “I guess I’ll have to settle for a peppermint mocha,” Michael says, rolling his eyes.

Luke lifts his hand from Michael’s shoulder to wipe at his brow dramatically. “Whew. I was afraid you were going to run away when you heard the news.”

“I’d never run away from you,” Michael says. “That would be even stupider than turning down free coffee.”

“I like your hair.” Luke reaches back out to tentatively pat Michael’s head softly. Michael recently colored his normally bleach-blonde hair soft pink, thinking it would be fun for the holidays. Plus he knew it would piss off his manager at the store, but there was nothing she could do about it since they were so desperate for seasonal workers.

“Thanks. I like yours too.” If Luke could touch Michael’s hair, Michael figures he can touch Luke’s too. He raises up onto his toes and reaches toward it. Luke bends down slightly to make it easier for Michael to reach. Michael’s heart soars. He lightly runs his fingers through Luke’s curls for a moment, enjoying the softness and the way the light catches the golden highlights. He draws back when he notices Luke smirking.

“I think we’re confusing people,” Luke says, gesturing inconspicuously at the teenage girl behind them in line, who is staring at them like she’s trying to figure out the probability they might actually be aliens.

Michael snorts. “Who cares. She’s probably getting a chestnut praline latte so her opinion is moot.”

Luke laughs, loud and bright, breath hitching in his throat, and Michael boldly reaches for his hand. “How about this instead of hair petting?”

“Excellent idea,” Luke affirms, squeezing Michael’s hand tightly.

\---

It takes them 40 minutes to get through the Starbucks line, but the time flies for Michael. He’s high on Luke’s smile and Luke’s velvet voice and Luke’s quirky sense of humor. By the time his lunch break is over, he’s also high on espresso and Luke’s promise to take him to a local coffee shop known for its amazing gingerbread lattes the next morning. 

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
